Room for Debate | New York Times//www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate
A Running Commentary on the News – The New York TimesCopyright 2017 The New York Times Companyfeedback@nytimes.com (New York Times)Thu, 12 Oct 2017 15:41:12 -0400When Do Consumer Boycotts Work?//www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2017/02/07/when-do-consumer-boycotts-work
//www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2017/02/07/when-do-consumer-boycotts-work

Uber, Starbucks, Budweiser. These are just a few of the brands that have faced consumer boycotts for taking supposedly political stances in the past few weeks. Still, it is unclear whether most of these boycotts will negatively affect sales or change company policy.

When does "voting with your wallet" work?

Uber, Starbucks, Budweiser. These are just a few of the brands that have faced consumer boycotts for taking supposedly political stances in the past few weeks. Still, it is unclear whether most of these boycotts will negatively affect sales or change company policy.

Last week, President Trump made good on his promise to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership, formally abandoning the 12-nation trade agreement. During his campaign, he also ran against the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, calling it the “worst trade deal ever.”

Pulling out of the 25-year-old trade agreement would be an arduous process and risky for the U.S., but experts say there is room to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

If the Trump administration is going to renegotiate Nafta, what should and shouldn't be on the table?

Last week, President Trump made good on his promise to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership, formally abandoning the 12-nation trade agreement. During his campaign, he also ran against the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, calling it the “worst trade deal ever.”

Pulling out of the 25-year-old trade agreement would be an arduous process and risky for the U.S., but experts say there is room to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

If the Trump administration is going to renegotiate Nafta, what should and shouldn't be on the table?

House Republicans have made it easier for Congress to transfer federal lands to state and local authorities — an idea that was championed in the most recent Republican platform — by overturning the requirement that the government account for budgetary losses from such land transfers.

But Ryan Zinke, Trump’s pick to head the Interior Department, has opposed transferring federal land, as do some Republican governors out West, in part because the government pays for emergency services like battling wildfires.

If federal land is transferred to the states, could the states handle the responsibility?

House Republicans have made it easier for Congress to transfer federal lands to state and local authorities — an idea that was championed in the most recent Republican platform — by overturning the requirement that the government account for budgetary losses from such land transfers.

But Ryan Zinke, Trump’s pick to head the Interior Department, has opposed transferring federal land, as do some Republican governors out West, in part because the government pays for emergency services like battling wildfires.

If federal land is transferred to the states, could the states handle the responsibility?

On Tuesday afternoon, CNN reported that intelligence officials had given President-elect Donald J. Trump, President Obama and eight members of Congress a summary of allegations that Russian agents claimed to have compromising information on Trump. Several news outlets had the material, in an opposition research report against Trump. But because the report contained inflammatory accusations that were unverified, only BuzzFeed published it. Was BuzzFeed right to do so?

On Tuesday afternoon, CNN reported that intelligence officials had given President-elect Donald J. Trump, President Obama and eight members of Congress a summary of allegations that Russian agents claimed to have compromising information on Trump. Several news outlets had the material, in an opposition research report against Trump. But because the report contained inflammatory accusations that were unverified, only BuzzFeed published it. Was BuzzFeed right to do so?

The family of a girl who was killed when the car she was in was rear-ended by a driver using his iPhone's Facetime app has sued not only the driver, but also Apple. The family says iPhones should disable video and other distracting apps when they are being used by a driver. Should it be a company's responsibility to make social media and other distracting apps unworkable when they are used in a moving car?

The family of a girl who was killed when the car she was in was rear-ended by a driver using his iPhone's Facetime app has sued not only the driver, but also Apple. The family says iPhones should disable video and other distracting apps when they are being used by a driver. Should it be a company's responsibility to make social media and other distracting apps unworkable when they are used in a moving car?

Indian politics have long been driven and riven by appeals to caste, religion, ethnicity and gender. The prime minister leads a Hindu nationalist party and has been accused of stoking hatred and violence against Muslims. But last week, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that political appeals on the basis of religion, caste, community or language, violate the Indian Constitution's guarantee of fundamentally secular elections. Elections could be voided if the rule is violated.

But will the ruling create greater equality or undermine Indian democracy?

Indian politics have long been driven and riven by appeals to caste, religion, ethnicity and gender. The prime minister leads a Hindu nationalist party and has been accused of stoking hatred and violence against Muslims. But last week, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that political appeals on the basis of religion, caste, community or language, violate the Indian Constitution's guarantee of fundamentally secular elections. Elections could be voided if the rule is violated.

But will the ruling create greater equality or undermine Indian democracy?

The Women's March on Washington is the first national demonstration in response to the election of Donald J. Trump. But already it has been criticized as a feel-good initiative, lacking focus and inclusiveness.

Is this march truly a useful endeavor? Is there a better way for women to raise their concerns about a Trump administration?

The Women's March on Washington is the first national demonstration in response to the election of Donald J. Trump. But already it has been criticized as a feel-good initiative, lacking focus and inclusiveness.

Is this march truly a useful endeavor? Is there a better way for women to raise their concerns about a Trump administration?

The federal government requires college panels to judge sexual assault cases based on a preponderance of evidence, a lower standard of proof than is required in criminal trials. Some argue this system is unfair to the accused, and that the standard of proof should be more strenuous. But others say that it is the only appropriate standard for colleges, and that the broad latitude these panels can take is unfair to victims: Stanford University, for example, is facing criticism for requiring that their panels rule unanimously before finding a student guilty.

Is a “preponderance of evidence” the right standard of proof for college panels judging sexual assault cases?

The federal government requires college panels to judge sexual assault cases based on a preponderance of evidence, a lower standard of proof than is required in criminal trials. Some argue this system is unfair to the accused, and that the standard of proof should be more strenuous. But others say that it is the only appropriate standard for colleges, and that the broad latitude these panels can take is unfair to victims: Stanford University, for example, is facing criticism for requiring that their panels rule unanimously before finding a student guilty.

Is a “preponderance of evidence” the right standard of proof for college panels judging sexual assault cases?